Beverage preparation machines have been known for a number of years. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,943,472 discloses a water circulation system between a water reservoir and a hot water or vapour distribution chamber of an espresso machine. The circulation system includes a valve, a metallic heating tube and a pump that are connected to the reservoir via different silicone hoses, which are joined using clamping collars.
The known beverage preparation devices are equipped with various types of pumps for promoting liquid within the device.
For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 2,715,868 discloses a beverage preparation machine for extracting a beverage ingredient within an extraction chamber supplied in a cartridge by water guided into the extraction chamber and forced through the cartridge. The pump is of the rotary type and has blades operating in a pump chamber to transfer liquid under pressure to the extraction chamber.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,694 discloses an espresso machine with a piston pump mounted in the machine's housing. The pump has a reciprocating piston that is actuated by an eccentric drive having a connecting rod that is engaged with the piston.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,298 discloses a beverage preparation machine with a vibrating pump suspended in mobile or overhung manner, the vibrations being transferred to an in-line heater to vibrate the heater with the view of reducing liming in the heater.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,554,588 discloses a composite piston for vibration pumps suitable for use in espresso machines.
In general, during operation of the pump of such a device, vibrations occur due to an oscillating or rotational movement of a driven part, e.g. a piston or a number of blades, housed within a pump chamber of the pump. These vibrations may then be transferred to the housing of the device and thus negatively affect the quality or operational feel of the beverage preparation device. Moreover, the vibrations may negatively affect other components housed within the housing of the device.
To overcome this problem, a device is sought-after to reduce these vibrations of the pump which are transmitted to the housing of the device.
Therefore, based on the prior art, the present invention seeks to provide a support for mounting a pump of the device in the housing in order to prevent a transmission of vibrations from the pump to the housing.
The present invention seeks to address the above described problems. The invention also aims at other objects and particularly the solution of other problems as will appear in the rest of the present description.